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This article is about the multinational corporation. For other uses, see Honda (disambiguation).
Honda Motor Company, Ltd.
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki-gaisha
本田技研工業株式会社
Company typePublic
(TYO: 7267) & (NYSE: HMC)
Industry
Founded24 September 1948
Founder
HeadquartersMinato, Tokyo, Japan
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Products
RevenueIncrease US$ 120.27 Billion (FY 2009)[1]
Increase US$ 2.34 Billion (FY 2009)[1]
Increase US$ 1.39 Billion (FY 2009)[1]
Total assetsDecrease US$ 124.98 Billion (FY 2009)[1]
Total equityDecrease US$ 40.6 Billion (FY 2009)[1]
Number of employees
181,876[2]
Subsidiaries
WebsiteHonda Worldwide

Honda Motor Company, Ltd. (Japanese: 本田技研工業株式会社, Honda Giken Kōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha, Honda Technology Research Institute Company, Limited) listenⓘ (TYO: 7267) is a Japanese multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.

Honda is the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than 14 million internal combustion engines each year.[3] Honda surpassed Nissan in 2001 to become the second-largest Japanese automobile manufacturer.[4][5] As of August 2008, Honda surpassed Chrysler as the fourth largest automobile manufacturer in the United States.[6] Honda is the sixth largest automobile manufacturer in the world.

Honda was the first Japanese automobile manufacturer to release a dedicated luxury brand, Acura, in 1986. Aside from their core automobile and motorcycle businesses, Honda also manufactures garden equipment, marine engines, personal watercraft and power generators, amongst others. Since 1986, Honda has been involved with artificial intelligence/robotics research and released their ASIMO robot in 2000. They have also ventured into aerospace with the establishment of GE Honda Aero Engines in 2004 and the Honda HA-420 HondaJet, scheduled to be released in 2011. Honda spends about 5% of its revenues into R&D.[7]

History

From a young age, Honda's founder, Soichiro Honda (本田 宗一郎, Honda Sōichirō) had a great interest in automobiles. He worked as a mechanic at a Japanese tuning shop, Art Shokai, where he tuned cars and entered them in races. A self-taught engineer, he later worked on a piston design which he hoped to sell to Toyota. The first drafts of his design were rejected, and Soichiro worked painstakingly to perfect the design, even going back to school and pawning his wife's jewelry for collateral. Eventually, he won a contract with Toyota and built a factory to construct pistons for them, which was destroyed in an earthquake. Due to a gasoline shortage during World War II, Honda was unable to use his car, and his novel idea of attaching a small engine to his bicycle attracted much curiosity. He then established the Honda Technical Research Institute in Hamamatsu, Japan, to develop and produce small 2-cycle motorbike engines. Calling upon 18,000 bicycle shop owners across Japan to take part in revitalizing a nation torn apart by war, Soichiro received enough capital to engineer his first motorcycle, the Honda Cub. This marked the beginning of Honda Motor Company, which would grow a short time later to be the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles by 1964.

The first production automobile from Honda was the T360 mini pick-up truck, which went on sale in August 1963.[8] Powered by a small 356 cc straight-4 gasoline engine, it was classified under the cheaper Kei car tax bracket.[citation needed] The first production car from Honda was the S500 sports car, which followed the T360 into production in October 1963. Its chain driven rear wheels point to Honda's motorcycle origins.[citation needed]

"Honda" in Japanese is 本田, which literally means "root field" or "original field".

Corporate profile and divisions

Honda headquarters building in Japan

Honda is headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Their shares trade on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange, as well as exchanges in Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kyoto, Fukuoka, London, Paris and Switzerland.

The company has assembly plants around the globe. These plants are located at China, United States, Pakistan, Canada, England, Japan, Belgium, Brazil, New Zealand, Indonesia, India, Thailand, Turkey and Perú. As of July 2010, 89 percent of Honda and Acura vehicles sold in the United States were built in North American plants, up from 82.2 percent a year earlier. This shields profits from the yen’s advance to a 15-year high against the dollar.[9]

Honda's Net Sales and Other Operating Revenue by Geographical Regions in 2007[10]

Geographic Region Total revenue (in millions of ¥)
Japan 1,681,190
North America 5,980,876
Europe 1,236,757
Asia 1,283,154
Others 905,163

American Honda Motor Company is based in Torrance, California. Honda Canada Inc. is headquartered in the Scarborough district of Toronto, Ontario, and is building new corporate headquarters in Markham, Ontario, scheduled to relocate in 2008;[11] their manufacturing division, Honda of Canada Manufacturing, is based in Alliston, Ontario. Honda has also created joint ventures around the world, such as Honda Siel Cars and Hero Honda Motorcycles in India,[12] Guangzhou Honda and Dongfeng Honda in China, and Honda Atlas in Pakistan.

Current market position

With high fuel prices and a weak U.S. economy in June 2008, Honda reported a 1% sales increase while its rivals, including the Detroit Big Three and Toyota, have reported double-digit losses. Honda's sales were up almost 20 percent from the same month last year. The Civic and the Accord were in the top five list of sales.[13][14] Analysts have attributed this to two main factors. First, Honda's product lineup consists of mostly small to mid-size, highly fuel-efficient vehicles. Secondly, over the last ten years, Honda has designed its factories to be flexible, in that they can be easily retooled to produce any Honda model that may be in-demand at the moment.

Nonetheless, Honda, Nissan, and Toyota, were still not immune to the global financial crisis of 2008, as these companies reduced their profitability forecasts. The economic crisis has been spreading to other important players in the vehicle related industries as well.[15][16] In November 2009 the Nihon Keizai Shinbun reported that Honda Motor exports have fallen 64.1%.[17]

At the 2008 Beijing Auto Show, Honda presented the Li Nian ("concept" or "idea") 5-door hatchback and announced that they were looking to develop an entry-level brand exclusively for the Chinese market similar to Toyota's Scion brand in the USA.[18] The brand would be developed by a 50-50 joint-venture established in 2007 with Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group.[19][20]

Leadership

  • 1948–1973 — Soichiro Honda
  • 1973–1983 — Kiyoshi Kawashima
  • 1983–1990 — Tadashi Kume
  • 1990–1998 — Nobuhiko Kawamoto
  • 1998–2004 — Hiroyuki Yoshino
  • 2004–2009 — Takeo Fukui
  • since 2009 — Takanobu Ito

Products

Automobiles

For a list of vehicles, see List of Honda vehicles.

Honda's global lineup consists of the Fit, Civic, Accord, Insight, CR-V, and Odyssey. An early proponent of developing vehicles to cater to different needs and markets worldwide, Honda's lineup varies by country and may feature vehicles exclusive to that region. A few examples are the latest Acura TL luxury sedan and the Ridgeline, Honda's first light-duty pickup truck. Both were engineered primarily in North America and are exclusively produced and sold there.

The Honda Civic is a line of compact cars developed and manufactured by Honda. In North America, the Civic is the second-longest continuously running nameplate from a Japanese manufacturer; only its perennial rival, the Toyota Corolla, introduced in 1968, has been in production longer.[21] The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded. Having gone through several generational changes, the Civic has become larger and more upmarket, and it currently slots between the Fit and Accord.

2008 Honda Accord (USA spec)
Eight Generation Honda Civic (Philippine Version)

The 2006 Ridgeline was a reintroduction of the concept of a Uni-Body truck. Earlier examples of this concept are the Subaru Brat and Baja, Volkswagen Rabbit pick-up, and Dodge Rampage/Plymouth Scamp.

Honda increased global production in September 2008 to meet demand for small cars in the U.S. and emerging markets. The company is shuffling U.S. production to keep factories busy and boost car output, while building fewer minivans and sport utility vehicles as light truck sales fall.[22]

Honda produces the Insight, a hybrid electric vehicle that competes with the Toyota Prius

Its first entrance into the pickup segment, the lightduty Ridgeline, won Truck of the Year from Motor Trend magazine in 2006 (also in 2006, the redesigned Civic won Car of the Year from the magazine, giving Honda a rare double win of Motor Trend honors).

In the U.S., five of EPA's top ten most fuel-efficient cars from 1984 to 2010 comes from Honda, more than any other automakers. The five models are: 2000-2006 Honda Insight(53 mpg combined), 1986-87 Honda Civic Coupe HF (46 mpg combined), 1994-95 Honda Civic hatchback VX (43 mpg combined), 2006- Honda Civic Hybrid (42 mpg combined), and 2010- Honda Insight (41 mpg combined).(mpg revised in accordance with 2008 regulation change)[23]. The ACEEE has also rated the Civic GX as the greenest car in America for 7 consecutive years.[24]

Motorcycles

For a list of motorcycle products, see List of Honda motorcycles.

Honda is the largest motorcycle manufacturer in Japan and has been since it started production in 1955.[25] At its peak in 1982, Honda manufactured almost 3 million motorcycles. By 2006 this figure had reduced to around 550,000 but was still higher than its three domestic competitors.[25]

During the 1960s, when it was a small manufacturer, Honda broke out of the Japanese motorcycle market and began exporting to the U.S. Taking Honda’s story as an archetype of the smaller manufacturer entering a new market already occupied by highly dominant competitors, the story of their market entry, and their subsequent huge success in the U.S. and around the world, has been the subject of some academic controversy. Competing explanations have been advanced to explain Honda’s strategy and the reasons for their success.

The first of these explanations was put forward when, in 1975, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) was commissioned by the UK government to write a report explaining why and how the British motorcycle industry had been out-competed by its Japanese competitors. The report concluded that the Japanese firms, including Honda, had sought a very high scale of production (they had made a large number of motorbikes) in order to benefit from economies of scale and learning curve effects. It blamed the decline of the British motorcycle industry on the failure of British managers to invest enough in their businesses to profit from economies of scale and scope.

2004 Honda Super Cub

The second explanation was offered in 1984 by Richard Pascale, who had interviewed the Honda executives responsible for the firm’s entry into the U.S. market. As opposed to the tightly focused strategy of low cost and high scale that BCG accredited to Honda, Pascale found that their entry into the U.S. market was a story of “miscalculation, serendipity, and organizational learning” – in other words, Honda’s success was due to the adaptability and hard work of its staff, rather than any long term strategy. For example, Honda’s initial plan on entering the U.S. was to compete in large motorcycles, around 300 cc. It was only when the team found that the scooters they were using to get themselves around their U.S. base of San Francisco attracted positive interest from consumers that they came up with the idea of selling the Super Cub.

The most recent school of thought on Honda’s strategy was put forward by Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad in 1989. Creating the concept of core competencies with Honda as an example, they argued that Honda’s success was due to its focus on leadership in the technology of internal combustion engines. For example, the high power-to-weight ratio engines Honda produced for its racing bikes provided technology and expertise which was transferable into mopeds. Honda's entry into the U.S. motorcycle market during the 1960s is used as a case study for teaching introductory strategy at business schools worldwide.

It created the first luxury Japanese car (1985 Legend) and motorcycle (2006 Gold Wing bikes) equipped with an airbag, as well as the first mid-size pickup truck with independent rear suspension (2006 Ridgeline).

Power Equipment

Production started in 1953 with H-type engine (prior to motorcycle).[26]
Honda power equipements reached record sales in 2007 with 6,4 million units.[27] By 2010 (Fiscal year ended March 31) this figure had decreased to 4,7 million units.[28] Cumulative production of power products has exceeded 85 million units (as of September, 2008).[29]

Honda power equipement include:

Engine
Tiller
Lawn mower
Riding mower
Trimmer
Mower
Blower
Sprayer
Hedge trimmer
Snowthrower
Generator, welder
Water-pump
Power-carrier
Outboard engine
Inflatable boat
Electric 4-wheel Scooter
Compact Household Cogeneration Unit

Engines

Honda Outboard motor on a pontoon boat

Honda engines powered the entire 33-car starting field of the 2010 Indianapolis 500[30] and for the fifth consecutive race, there were no engine-related retirements during the running of the Memorial Day Classic.[31]

Honda, despite being known as an engine company, has never built a V8 for passenger vehicles. In the late 1990s, the company resisted considerable pressure from its American dealers for a V8 engine (which would have seen use in top-of-the-line Honda SUVs and Acuras), with American Honda reportedly sending one dealer a shipment of V8 beverages to silence them.[32] Honda considered starting V8 production in the mid-2000s for Acura and possible future ventures into the American full-size truck and SUV segment, but this was cancelled in late 2008, with Honda citing the environment and worldwide economic conditions.[33]

Robots

ASIMO at Expo 2005

ASIMO is the part of Honda's Research & Development robotics program. It is the eleventh in a line of successive builds starting in 1986 with Honda E0 moving through the ensuing Honda E series and the Honda P series. Weighing 54 kilograms and standing 130 centimeters tall, ASIMO resembles a small astronaut wearing a backpack, and can walk on two feet in a manner resembling human locomotion, at up to 6 km/h (3.7 mph). ASIMO is the world's only humanoid robot able to ascend and descend stairs independently.[34] However, human motions such as climbing stairs are difficult to mimic with a machine, which ASIMO has demonstrated by taking two plunges off a staircase.

Honda's robot ASIMO (see below) as an R&D project brings together expertise to create a robot that walks, dances and navigates steps. 2010 marks the year Honda has developed a machine capable of reading a users brainwaves to move ASIMO. The system uses a helmet covered with electroencephalography and near-infrared spectroscopy sensors that monitor electrical brainwaves and cerebral blood flow—signals that alter slightly during the human thought process. The user thinks of one of a limited number of gestures it wants from the robot, which has been fitted with a Brain Machine Interface.[35]

Aircraft

Main article: Honda HA-420 HondaJet

Honda has also pioneered new technology in its HA-420 HondaJet that allows new levels of reduced drag, increased aerodynamics and fuel efficiency thus reducing operating costs.[citation needed]

Mountain bikes

See also: Honda RN-01 G-cross

Honda has also built a Downhill racing bike, known as the Honda RN-01. Honda has taken on several people to pilot the bike, among them is Greg Minnaar. The team is known as Team G Cross Honda. The key feature of this bike is the gearbox, which replaces the standard Derailleur found on most bikes.

Motorsports

Honda has been active in motorsports, like Motorcycle Grand Prix, Superbike racing and others.

Automobile

See also: Honda Racing F1
Rubens Barrichello driving for Honda

Honda entered Formula One as a constructor for the first time in the 1964 season at the German Grand Prix with Ronnie Bucknum at the wheel. 1965 saw the addition of Richie Ginther to the team, who scored Honda's first point at the Belgian Grand Prix, and Honda's first win at the Mexican Grand Prix. 1967 saw their next win at the Italian Grand Prix with John Surtees as their driver. In 1968, Jo Schlesser was killed in a Honda RA302 at the French Grand Prix. This racing tragedy, coupled with their commercial difficulties selling automobiles in the United States, prompted Honda to withdraw from all international motorsport that year.

After a learning year in 1965, Honda-powered Brabhams dominated the 1966 French Formula Two championship in the hands of Jack Brabham and Denny Hulme. As there was no European Championship that season, this was the top F2 championship that year. In the early 1980s Honda returned to F2, supplying engines to Ron Tauranac's Ralt team. Tauranac had designed the Brabham cars for their earlier involvement. They were again extremely successful. In a related exercise, John Judd's Engine Developments company produced a turbo "Brabham-Honda" engine for use in IndyCar racing. It won only one race, in 1988 for Bobby Rahal at Pocono.

Honda returned to Formula One in 1983, initially with another Formula Two partner, the Spirit team, before switching abruptly to Williams in 1984. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Honda powered cars won six consecutive Formula One Constructors Championships. WilliamsF1 won the crown in 1986 and 1987. Honda switched allegiance again in 1988. New partners Team McLaren won the title in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991. Honda withdrew from Formula One at the end of 1992, although the related Mugen-Honda company maintained a presence up to the end of 1999, winning four races with Ligier and Jordan Grand Prix.

Honda debuted in the CART IndyCar World Series as a works supplier in 1994. The engines were far from competitive at first, but after development, the company powered six consecutive drivers championships. In 2003, Honda transferred its effort to the rival IRL IndyCar Series. In 2004, Honda-powered cars overwhelmingly dominated the IndyCar Series, winning 14 of 16 IndyCar races, including the Indianapolis 500, and claimed the IndyCar Series Manufacturers' Championship, Drivers' Championship and Rookie of the Year titles. In 2006, Honda became the sole engine supplier for the IndyCar Series, including the Indianapolis 500. In the 2006 Indianapolis 500, for the first time in Indianapolis 500 history, the race was run without a single engine problem.[36]

During 1998, Honda considered returning to Formula One with their own team. The project was aborted after the death of its technical director, Harvey Postlethwaite. Honda instead came back as an official engine supplier to British American Racing (BAR) and Jordan Grand Prix. Honda bought a stake in the BAR team in 2004 before buying the team outright at the end of 2005, becoming a constructor for the first time since the 1960s. Honda won the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix with driver Jenson Button.

It was announced on 5 December 2008, that Honda would be exiting Formula One with immediate effect due to the 2008 global economic crisis.[37] The team was sold to former team principal Ross Brawn, renamed Brawn GP and subsequently Mercedes GP.[38]

Honda became an official works team in the British Touring Car Championship in 2010.

Motorcycles

Main article: Honda Racing Corporation
Honda CBR1000RR sport bike

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) was formed in 1982. The company combines participation in motorcycle races throughout the world with the development of high potential racing machines. Its racing activities are an important source for the creation of leading edge technologies used in the development of Honda motorcycles. HRC also contributes to the advancement of motorcycle sports through a range of activities that include sales of production racing motorcycles, support for satellite teams, and rider education programs.

Soichiro Honda, being a race driver himself, could not stay out of international motorsport. In 1959, Honda entered five motorcycles into the Isle of Man TT race, the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world. While always having powerful engines, it took until 1961 for Honda to tune their chassis well enough to allow Mike Hailwood to claim their first Grand Prix victories in the 125 and 250 cc classes. Hailwood would later pick up their first Senior TT wins in 1966 and 1967. Honda's race bikes were known for their "sleek & stylish design" and exotic engine configurations, such as the 5-cylinder, 22,000 rpm, 125 cc bike and their 6-cylinder 250 cc and 297 cc bikes.

In 1979, Honda returned to Grand Prix motorcycle racing with the monocoque-framed, four-stroke NR500. The FIM rules limited engines to four cylinders, so the NR500 featured non-circular, 'race-track', cylinders, each with 8 valves and two connecting rods, in order to provide sufficient valve area to compete with the dominant two-stroke racers. Unfortunately, it seemed Honda tried to accomplish too much at one time and the experiment failed. For the 1982 season, Honda debuted their first two-stroke race bike, the NS500 and in 1983, Honda won their first 500 cc Grand Prix World Championship with Freddie Spencer. Since then, Honda has become a dominant marque in motorcycle Grand Prix racing, winning a plethora of top level titles with riders such as Mick Doohan and Valentino Rossi .

In motocross, Honda has claimed six motocross world championships. In the World Enduro Championship, Honda has captured six titles, most recently with Stefan Merriman in 2003 and with Mika Ahola in 2007 and 2008.

In observed trials, Honda has claimed three world championships with Belgian rider Eddy Lejeune.

Electric and alternative fuel vehicles

2009 Honda Civic GX hooked up to Phill refueling system
Top: Brazilian flexible-fuel Honda Civic. Below: U.S. Honda Civic Hybrid.
2010 Honda Insight hybrid electric vehicle (Second generation).
Honda FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell vehicle

Compressed natural gas

The Honda Civic GX is the only purpose-built natural gas vehicle (NGV) commercially available in some parts of the U.S.[39][40] The Honda Civic GX first appeared in 1998 as a factory-modified Civic LX that had been designed to run exclusively on compressed natural gas. The car looks and drives just like a contemporary Honda Civic LX, but does not run on gasoline. In 2001, the Civic GX was rated the cleanest-burning internal combustion engine in the world by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency‎ (EPA).[41][42]

First leased to the City of Los Angeles, in 2005, Honda started offering the GX directly to the public through factory trained dealers certified to service the GX. Before that, only fleets were eligible to purchase a new Civic GX. In 2006, the Civic GX was released in New York, making it the second state where the consumer is able to buy the car.[43] Home refueling is available for the GX with the addition of the Phill Home Refueling Appliance.[44]

Flexible-fuel

Honda's Brazilian subsidiary launched flexible-fuel versions for the Honda Civic and Honda Fit in late 2006. As others Brazilian flex-fuel vehicles, these models run on any blend of hydrous ethanol (E100) and E20-E25 gasoline.[45][46] Initially, and in order to test the market preferences, the carmaker decided to produce a limited share of the vehicles with flex-fuel engines, 33 percent of the Civic production and 28 percent of the Fit models.[45][46] Also, the sale price for the flex-fuel version was higher than the respective gasoline versions, around US$1,000 premium for the Civic, and US$650 for the Fit, despite the fact that all other flex-fuel vehicles sold in Brazil had the same tag price as their gasoline versions.[46][47][48] In July 2009, Honda launched in the Brazilian market its third flexible-fuel car, the Honda City.[49]

During the last two months of 2006, both flex-fuel models sold 2,427 cars against 8,546 gasoline-powered automobiles,[50] jumping to 41,990 flex-fuel cars in 2007,[51] and reaching 93,361 in 2008.[52] Due to the success of the flex versions, by early 2009 a hundred percent of Honda's automobile production for the Brazilian market is now flexible-fuel, and only a small percentage of gasoline version is produced in Brazil for exports.[53]

In March 2009, Honda launched in the Brazilian market the first flex-fuel motorcycle in the world. Produced by its Brazilian subsidiary Moto Honda da Amazônia, the CG 150 Titan Mix is sold for around US$2,700.[54][55][56]

Hybrid electric

In late 1999, Honda launched the first commercial hybrid electric car sold in the U.S. market , the Honda Insight, just one month before the introduction of the Toyota Prius, and initially sold for US$20,000.[57][58] The first-generation Insight was produced from 2000 to 2006 and had a fuel economy of 70 miles per US gallon (3.4 L/100 km; 84 mpg‑imp) for the EPA's highway rating, the most fuel-efficient mass-produced car at the time.[57][58] Total global sales for the Insight amounted to only around 18,000 vehicles.[58]

Honda introduced the second-generation Insight in its home nation of Japan in February 2009, and released it in other markets through 2009 and in the U.S. market in April 2009. At $19,800 as a five-door hatchback it will be the least expensive hybrid available in the U.S.[59] Honda expects to sell 200,000 of the vehicles each year, with half of those sales in the United States.[60]

Since 2002, Honda has also been selling the Honda Civic Hybrid (2003 model) in the U.S. market,.[57] It was followed by the Honda Accord Hybrid, offered in model years 2005 through 2007. Sales of the Honda CR-Z began in Japan in February 2010, becoming Honda's third hybrid electric car in the market.[61]

Hydrogen fuel cell

In Takanezawa, Japan, on 16 June 2008, Honda Motors produced the first assembly-line FCX Clarity, a hybrid hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. More efficient than a gas-electric hybrid vehicle, the FCX Clarity combines hydrogen and oxygen from ordinary air to generate electricity for an electric motor.

The vehicle itself does not emit any pollutants and its only by products are heat and water. The FCX Clarity also has an advantage over gas-electric hybrids in that it does not use an internal combustion engine to propel itself. Like a gas-electric hybrid, it uses a lithium ion battery to assist the fuel cell during acceleration and capture energy through regenerative braking, thus improving fuel efficiency. The lack of hydrogen filling stations throughout developed countries will keep production volumes low.[62] Honda will release the vehicle in groups of 150. California is the only U.S. market with infrastructure for fueling such vehicle, though the number of stations is still limited. Building more stations is expensive, as the California Air Resources Board (CARB) granted $6.8 million for four H2 fueling stations, costing $1.7 million USD each.[63][64]

Marketing

Honda's official slogan is "The Power of Dreams". They have never used this slogan to sell their products. Mr. Honda's belief is that well built products will sell themselves.

In 2003, Honda released its Cog advertisement in the UK and on the Internet. To make the ad, the engineers at Honda constructed a Rube Goldberg Machine made entirely out of car parts from a Europe Domestic Market Honda Accord (upon which the USDM Acura TSX is based). To the chagrin of the engineers at Honda, all the parts were taken from two of only six hand-assembled pre-production models of the Accord. The advertisement depicted a single cog which sets off a chain of events that ends with the Honda Accord moving and Garrison Keillor speaking the tagline, "Isn't it nice when things just... work?" It took 606 takes to get it perfect.[65]

In 2004, they produced the Hate Something advert, usually immediately followed by a shortened version of the 2005/2006 Impossible Dream advert.

A post 2005 style Honda dealership in Moncton, Canada

In 2006, Honda released its Choir advertisement, for the UK and the internet. This featured a 60-person choir who sang the car noises as film of the Honda Civic are shown.

In December 2005, Honda released The Impossible Dream a two-minute panoramic advertisement filmed in New Zealand, Japan and Argentina which illustrates the founder's dream to build performance vehicles. While singing The Impossible Dream (The Quest), a man reaches for his racing helmet, leaves his trailer on a minibike, then rides a succession of vintage Honda vehicles: a motorcycle, then a car, then a powerboat, then goes over a waterfall only to reappear piloting a hot air balloon, with Garrison Keillor saying "I couldn't have put it better myself" as the song ends. The song is from the 1960s musical "Man Of La Mancha", sung by Andy Williams.

For the last several years in the United States, during model close-out sales for the current year before the start of the new model year, Honda's advertising has featured an animated character known simply as Mr. Opportunity, voiced by Rob Paulsen. The casual looking man talks about various deals offered by Honda and ends with the phrase "I'm Mr. Opportunity, and I'm knockin'", followed by him "knocking" on the television screen or "thumping" the speaker at the end of radio ads. Also, commercials for Honda's international hatchback, the Jazz, are parodies of well-known pop culture images such as Tetris and Thomas The Tank Engine.

In late 2006, Honda released an ad with ASIMO exploring a museum, looking at the exhibits with almost child-like wonderment (spreading out its arms in the aerospace exhibit, waving hello to an astronaut suit that resembles him, etc.), while Garrison Keillor ruminates on progress. It concludes with the tagline: "More forwards please".

Honda also sponsored ITV's coverage of Formula One in the UK for 2007. However they had announced that they would not continue in 2008 due to the sponsorship price requested by ITV being too high.

In May 2007, focuses on their strengths in racing and the use of the Red H badge — a symbol of what is termed as "Hondamentalism". The campaign highlights the lengths that Honda engineers go to in order to get the most out of an engine, whether it is for bikes, cars, powerboats — even lawnmowers. Honda released its Hondamentalism campaign. In the TV spot, Garrison Keillor says, "An engineer once said to build something great is like swimming in honey", while Honda engineers in white suits walk and run towards a great light, battling strong winds and flying debris, holding on to anything that will keep them from being blown away. Finally one of the engineers walks towards a red light, his hand outstretched. A web address is shown for the Hondamentalism website. The digital campaign aims to show how visitors to the site share many of the Hondamentalist characteristics.

At the beginning of 2008, Honda released - the Problem Playground. The advert outlines Honda's environmental responsibility, demonstrating a hybrid engine, more efficient solar panels and the FCX Clarity, a hydrogen powered car. The 90 second advert features large scale puzzles, involving Rubik's cubes, large shapes and a 3-dimensional puzzle.

On 29 May 2008, Honda, in partnership with Channel 4, broadcast a live advertisement. It showed skydivers jumping from an aeroplane over Spain and forming the letters H, O, N, D and A in mid-air. This live advertisement is generally agreed to be the first of its kind on British television. The advert lasted three minutes. The next flight of one of the two planes involved resulted in a fatal crash as the plane broke apart in mid-air.[66]

In 2009, American Honda released the "Dream the Impossible Documentary Series," a collection of 5-8 minute web vignettes that focus on the core philosophies of Honda. Current short films include Failure: The Secret to Success, Kick Out the Ladder and Mobility 2088. They feature Honda employees as well as Danica Patrick, Christopher Guest, Ben Bova, Chee Pearlman, Joe Johnston and Orson Scott Card. The film series plays at dreams.honda.com.

Sports

In Australia, Honda advertised heavily during most motor racing telecasts, and was the official sponsor of the 2006 FIA Formula 1 telecast on broadcaster channel "Ten". In fact, it was the only manufacturer involved in the 2006 Indy Racing League season. In a series of adverts promoting the history of Honda's racing heritage, Honda claimed it "built" cars that won 72 Formula 1 Grand Prix. Sceptics[who?] have accused Honda of interpreting its racing history rather liberally, saying that virtually all of the 72 victories were achieved by Honda powered (engined) machines, whereas the cars themselves were designed and built by Lotus F1, Williams F1, and McLaren F1 teams, respectively. However, former and current staff of the McLaren F1 team have reiterated that Honda contributed more than just engines and provided various chassis, tooling, and aerodynamic parts as well as funding. Ayrton Senna, arguably the greatest F1 driver of all time, repeatedly stated that Honda probably played the most significant role in his three world championships. He had immense respect for founder, Soichiro Honda, and had a good relationship with Nobuhiko Kawamoto, the chairman of Honda at that time. Senna once called Honda "the greatest company in the world".

As part of its marketing campaign, Honda is an official partner and sponsor of the National Hockey League, the Anaheim Ducks of the NHL, and the arena named after it: Honda Center. Honda is also a sponsor of Major League Soccer. The "Honda Player of the Year" award is presented in United States soccer. The "Honda Sports Award" is given to the best female athlete in each of twelve college sports in the United States. One of the twelve Honda Sports Award winners is chosen to receive the Honda-Broderick Cup, as "Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year."

Facilities (partial list)

Main article: List of Honda facilities

U.S. Honda models

Cars Accord Civic Fit
Energy/Hybrid/Other Civic Hybrid FCX Clarity Insight CR-Z
SUVs Pilot Element
Trucks Ridgeline
Crossovers CR-V Crosstour
Vans Odyssey

Sales

Calendar Year Total U.S. sales
1999 1,076,893
2000 1,158,860
2001 1,207,639
2002 1,247,834
2003 1,349,847
2004 1,394,398
2005 1,462,472
2006 1,509,358
2007 1,551,542
2008 1,284,261
2009 1,150,784

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f Breakdown of Honda Corporation's key earnings and income metrics via Wikinvest
  2. ^ "Company Profile for Honda Motor Co Ltd (HMC)". Retrieved 2008-09-29.
  3. ^ Miller, Edward (2008-04-18). "FIRST MOTORCYCLE AIRBAG EARNS TAKATA AND HONDA 2008 AUTOMOTIVE NEWS PACE INNOVATION PARTNERSHIP AWARD". Honda.com. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
  4. ^ "Honda overtakes Nissan to become Japan's second-largest carmaker. - Latest Car News from 4Car". Channel4.com. Retrieved 2009-11-22. [dead link]
  5. ^ "The History of Honda". Cars-directory.net. Retrieved 2009-11-22.
  6. ^ [1]
  7. ^ Taylor, Alex III (2008-03-07). "America's Most Admired Companies: Honda". CNNMoney.com. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
  8. ^ http://world.honda.com/history/challenge/1962autoproduction/text/05.html
  9. ^ [2]
  10. ^ Breakdown of net sales and other operating revenue by geographical markets from company 20Fs
  11. ^ Mangion, Patrick (08-27). "Markham saves Honda deal". Yorkregion.com. p. 1. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help) It was originally planned to be located in Richmond Hill, Ontario, but delays led them to look elsewhere.
  12. ^ Share Manthan : http://www.sharemanthan.in/index.php/indian-companies/49-auto/2150-hero-honda
  13. ^ Tom Krisher, Associated Press (2008-07-03). "Why Honda is growing as Detroit falls behind / No. 2 Japanese automaker opted to focus on small, popular cars - not gas guzzlers". Sfgate.com. Retrieved 2009-11-22.
  14. ^ "Topic Galleries". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
  15. ^ The Associated Press (2008-12-22). "CBC News - Money - Toyota slashes profit forecast amid slump". Cbc.ca. Retrieved 2009-11-22.
  16. ^ "CBC News - World - Honda slashes profit forecast". Cbc.ca. 2008-12-17. Retrieved 2009-11-22.
  17. ^ "2009/11/27 14:25 - Toyota's Domestic Output Down 10.7% In Oct; Honda Down 35.8%". Nni.nikkei.co.jp. 2009-11-27. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
  18. ^ "2008 Beijing Auto Show: Guangzhou Honda Li Nian". Edmunds.com.
  19. ^ "Honda joint venture looks to strengthen China R&D operations". Market Watch. 17 July 2007.
  20. ^ Wang, Weiwei (21 January 2009). "Guangzhou Honda adopts new brand strategy to grab market share". China Economic Net.
  21. ^ "Toyota Corolla History" (PDF). Toyota Motor Corp.
  22. ^ http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081028/AUTO01/810280408/1148/&source=nletter-business
  23. ^ Scott Doggett "EPA Lists Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars From 1984 to Present" Green car advisor - Edmunds, Jun 10, 2010 [dubious – discuss]
  24. ^ http://www.greenercars.org/highlights_greenest.htm
  25. ^ a b Alexander, Jeffrey W. (2009). Japan's Motorcycle Wars: An Industry History. UBC Press. p. 225. ISBN 9780774814546.
  26. ^ "Honda Worldwide | Timeline - Power Products". World.honda.com. Retrieved 2010-08-12.
  27. ^ http://www.world.honda.com/investors/annualreport/2007/pdf/ar2007.pdf
  28. ^ http://www.world.honda.com/investors/annualreport/2010/pdf/honda2010ar-all-e.pdf
  29. ^ "Honda Worldwide | Power Products | Overview". World.honda.com. Retrieved 2010-08-12.
  30. ^ "Honda Racing Engines". Racing.honda.com. Retrieved 2010-09-27.
  31. ^ "Indy 500". Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
  32. ^ News, Automotive (2008-10-17). "Green-car era poses test for Honda | The Car Tech blog - CNET Reviews". Reviews.cnet.com. Retrieved 2009-11-22. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  33. ^ Abuelsamid, Sam. "Honda S2000, CR-Z convertible follow Acura NSX and V8 to scrap heap". Retrieved 2010-10-25. {{cite web}}: Text "date- January 6, 2009" ignored (help)[dubious – discuss]
  34. ^ Frequently asked questions about ASIMO [3]. Retrieved 28 February 2007.
  35. ^ "Japan Plans Mind-reading Devices?" Gadgetrepublic. 23 April 2010. Web. 3 May 2010. <http://www.gadgetrepublic.com/news/item/1938/digital-life/japan-plans-mind-reading-devices/>.
  36. ^ "Last Lap Victory for Franchitti Seals 2007 IndyCar Title". Retrieved 2008-01-14.
  37. ^ "Honda confirm immediate F1 pull out". Retrieved 2008-12-05.
  38. ^ "Brawn GP arrives". Retrieved 2009-03-06.
  39. ^ Christine Gable and Scott Gable. "2008 Natural Gas Vehicles (NGVs) Available". About.com: Hybrid Cars & Alt Fuels. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  40. ^ "2009 Honda Civic GX Natural Gas Vehicle". Honda. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  41. ^ "Sixth Biannual Report On The Early Action Compact For Northeast Texas", p.5.
  42. ^ "Natural Gas Myths", Myth 2.
  43. ^ "Honda Press Release", 19 October 2006
  44. ^ "FuelMaker Corporation - World Leader in Convenient On-Site Refueling Systems". Web.archive.org. 2008-02-15. Archived from the original on 2008-02-15. Retrieved 2010-09-27.
  45. ^ a b Ricardo Ghigonetto (November 20061). "Honda apresenta tecnologia Flex" (in Portuguese). Honda (Brazil). Retrieved 2009-04-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help) [dead link]
  46. ^ a b c Marcelo Moura (January 2007). "Testes: Honda Civic EXS Flex x Honda Civic EXS" (in Portuguese). Revista Quatro Rodas. Retrieved 2009-04-16.
  47. ^ Luís Felipe Figueiredo (2009-02-09). "Honda Fit LXL Flex, um japonês versátil" (in Portuguese). WebMotors. Retrieved 2009-04-16.
  48. ^ Alberto Polo Junior (2006-12-12). "Versão Flex do Honda Fit chega na sexta por R$ 46.340" (in Portuguese). Interpress Motor. Retrieved 2009-04-16.
  49. ^ "Honda starts building flex-fuel City sedan in Brazil". AutoblogGreen. 2009-07-29. Retrieved 2009-08-03.[dubious – discuss]
  50. ^ "Tabela 08 - Vendas Atacado Mercado Interno por Tipo e Empresa - Combustível Flex Fuel - 2006" (PDF) (in Portuguese). ANFAVEA - Associação Nacional dos Fabricantes de Veículos Automotores (Brazil). Retrieved 2009-04-16. See Table 08 for flex-fuel sales and Table 07 for gasoline sales.
  51. ^ "Tabela 08 - Vendas Atacado Mercado Interno por Tipo e Empresa - Combustível Flex Fuel - 2007" (PDF) (in Portuguese). ANFAVEA - Associação Nacional dos Fabricantes de Veículos Automotores (Brazil). Retrieved 2009-04-16. See Table 08.
  52. ^ "Tabela 08 - Vendas Atacado Mercado Interno por Tipo e Empresa - Combustível Flex Fuel - 2008" (PDF) (in Portuguese). ANFAVEA - Associação Nacional dos Fabricantes de Veículos Automotores (Brazil). Retrieved 2009-04-16. See Table 08.
  53. ^ "Autoveículos - Produção em 2009" (in Portuguese). ANFAVEA - Associação Nacional dos Fabricantes de Veículos Automotores (Brazil). Retrieved 2009-04-16. Up to February 2009. See "Produção por Tipo, Empresa e Combustível " Tables 6 (gasoline) and 7 (flex-fuel). All gasoline vehicles were exported (see Table 01 Exportação de Autoveículos por Empresa, Tipo e Modelo - 2009).
  54. ^ "Honda lança primeira moto bicombustível do mundo" (in Portuguese). G1 Portal de Notícias da Globo. 2003-03-11. Retrieved 2003-03-11.
  55. ^ Agencia EFE (2003-03-11). "Honda lançará moto flex ainda neste mês no Brasil" (in Portuguese). Folha Online. Retrieved 2003-03-11.
  56. ^ "Honda lança no Brasil primeira moto flex do mundo" (in Portuguese). UNICA. 2003-03-11. Retrieved 2003-03-11.
  57. ^ a b c Sperling, Daniel and Deborah Gordon (2009). "Two billion cars: driving toward sustainability" (Document). Oxford University Press, New York. pp. 28, 64–65, and 168–168. ISBN 978-0-19-537664-7.
  58. ^ a b c Jerry Garrett (2006-08-27). "The Once and Future Mileage King". The New York Times.
  59. ^ "Honda Insight: America's most affordable hybrid at $19,800". Honda. Motor Authority. 2009-03-10. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
  60. ^ "Honda Announces Additional Details on New Small Hybrid Vehicle - Honda - Press Releases". Corporate.honda.com. 2008-05-20. Retrieved 2010-09-27.
  61. ^ "Honda CR-Z Hybrid Now On Sale in Japan; Targeting 1,000 Units Per Month". Green Car Congress. 2010-02-27. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
  62. ^ Fackler, Martin (2008-06-17). "Latest Honda Runs on Hydrogen, Not Petroleum". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
  63. ^ Clive Thompson (2009-04-16). "Batteries Not Included". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-04-19.
  64. ^ Sebastian Blanco (2009-04-16). "CARB grants $6.8 million for four hydrogen refueling stations". Autobloggreen. Retrieved 2009-06-17.[dubious – discuss]
  65. ^ "Lights! Camera! Retake!". Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-01-05.
  66. ^ Mark Sweney. "Plane used in Honda skydiving ad crashes in Spain | Media". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-09-27.

References

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